Well, I took a plunge a couple of weeks ago and picked up another C170B. (back to my roots...)

She basically has been sitting in a barn for 34 years... 2400TT w/ 600hrs SMOH, but that was in 1969! She is pretty much bone stock with all the expected imperfections and hairy warts, but I bought it right, and it's a good candidate for what I have planned. Time allowing, I will take the winter to do the resto-mod and have her up and flying (when I get around to it...)

She will be set up as a super light VFR trainer so I can have some fun teaching short field ops and TW transition training. She'll get gutted, new motor, and all the common STOL mods (Sportsman, VG's, 180 gear, ext baggage, etc..) Gonna be underwater real quick, but what the heck! It should be a fun project!

I'd post this stuff over on the International 170 forum also, but I was permanently banned! Hahahahaha. Go BCP!

That's a feather in your cap.......!!!

"I'd post this stuff over on the International 170 forum also, but I was permanently banned! Hahahahaha. Go BCP!"

Yea team

Bigrenna wrote:I'd post this stuff over on the International 170 forum also, but I was permanently banned! Hahahahaha. Go BCP!

Why do you want to change so much stuff?

If Cessna wanted it that way, they would have done it in 1953.

No wheel pants? Oh the humanity!!

Who needs more than 145hp and a cruise prop?

Do you have approval for that? That doesn't look approved at all.

I know 170s and what you need to do is....

... in short, you ain't bona fide

Bagarre wrote:

Bigrenna wrote:I'd post this stuff over on the International 170 forum also, but I was permanently banned! Hahahahaha. Go BCP!

Why do you want to change so much stuff?

If Cessna wanted it that way, they would have done it in 1953.

No wheel pants? Oh the humanity!!

Who needs more than 145hp and a cruise prop?

Do you have approval for that? That doesn't look approved at all.

I know 170s and what you need to do is....

... in short, you ain't bona fide

Hmmmm, you're acting like you're new here

Looks great Greg! Cant wait to see you turn out yet another work of art!

Look forward to eating my popcorn and watching how this one turns out.

Very first thing on the list was to drain all the fuel and get her on the scales to establish a baseline. Nothing more satisfying than having a number to judge your progress by. She was much lighter than I expected, coming in at 1410 lbs. (less the 30 lbs of unusable.)

Just looking around shows a hundred places to start gutting... She is very modern.







This placard will most definitely be staying as it's the absolute best part of the plane...

Of course I should be finishing the engine install on my Skywagon, but I just couldn't help myself. Armed with a razor knife, screwdriver, and dykes I went to town...

Out came the rear seat, carpet, headliner, side panels, hat shelf, old wiring, etc etc etc. In about two hours time, I had filled three trash bags with 110lbs crap that ain't ever going back in. Guesstimating another 20 - 25 lbs to go on this side of the firewall.



I wish this view wasn't so familiar...

That placard would be the first thing I would remove but thats just me.....

Super cool project! Im surprised its that light with those radios and junk in it. So having done a 170 before, how much weight do you think you are going to shave off? How is the paint? Are you going to repaint it? Polish it? Looking forward to the build thread.

Having it as a trainer and giving tw dual is cool, I hope it works out good for you.

Kurt

Just saw your post on the interior gut. WOW! 110 pounds! Sweet! I would have guessed maybe 50 pounds of crap but 110, wow!

Kurt

What are you going to do to the engine? I assume overhaul it, if so, any "warm up's"?

Kurt

G44 wrote:So having done a 170 before, how much weight do you think you are going to shave off? How is the paint? Are you going to repaint it? Polish it? Looking forward to the build thread.

Paint is actually pretty good... Nice solid coat of Imron from 84, but since its basically been in a barn for 30 years, its fine. That said, knowing I can't leave things alone, I may accidentally spill some stripper on it at some point... but only time will tell.

RE: weight, my guess is she will be just around 1300 lbs on 8.5x6 dessers, and just a bit over on 29" bushwheels. The plan is to keep the bird super simple for training missions. AS, TB, ALT, G5, CGR30P, SL30, 796, and a 335. Nothing else.

With it that light, I can keep the O-300 with an 8042 prop or go real nutty with a 180 horse. She should do quite well with two people.

With respect to styling ques, it will be close to the direction I have been going on the last few builds, with some slight deviations to keep it fresh.

If anyone wants to see some of the story of the last 170, there is some of it up on my blog. http://bushwagoneast.com/category/c170-project/



And if anyone wants to see the 180 project, its here: https://backcountrypilot.org/forum/project-180-skywagon-the-on-going-saga-11296

Bagarre wrote:

Bigrenna wrote:I'd post this stuff over on the International 170 forum also, but I was permanently banned! Hahahahaha. Go BCP!

Why do you want to change so much stuff?

If Cessna wanted it that way, they would have done it in 1953.

No wheel pants? Oh the humanity!!

Who needs more than 145hp and a cruise prop?

Do you have approval for that? That doesn't look approved at all.

I know 170s and what you need to do is....

... in short, you ain't bona fide

Excellent character study. I really hope no one is doing Zzz impressions on other forums.

Nice score Greg. Glad to see this here instead of that other place anyways.

The mission sounds perfect for a 170. I did all my primary training in mine and after 25 years of ownership, I’m finally thinking about ditching mine for a 180/185.

But I’ll always be a 170 fan and watching you build this one will be really fun.

Aryana wrote:The mission sounds perfect for a 170. I did all my primary training in mine and after 25 years of ownership..

Thanks brother. I think so... I too did my primary in a 170A. It was great and taught me a bunch. I think with the bird extremely light and the climb prop she will really work well. With the addition of the Sportsman/VGs, students can really learn how to fly that wing nice and slow. Time will tell!

I just can't stand to see a bird on wee tires, so I pulled off the 800x6ers and installed the 8.5x6 Desser tundras. She will be set up on these, and 29 ABWs depending on what we will be doing.

For comparison:

800x6/tires/tubes were 24.5 lbs and were 18" tall
8.5x6/tires/tubes were 25 lbs and were 20.25" tall (McCreary)
8.5x6/tires/tubes were 20 lbs and were 22" tall (Desser)

Pretty much a no-brainer.

I think I paid $170 each for my Desser 8.50s in 2014. They've gone up in price a little I guess.

Zzz wrote:I think I paid $170 each for my Desser 8.50s in 2014. They've gone up in price a little I guess.

Mine were $225 each last year.


Nice looking 170 by the way Greg. I’m looking forward to seeing what you do with it!

My 170B is a work in progress, Bigrenna and Robw56 you two are my inspiration you have both created beautiful works of aviation.

Mapleflt wrote:My 170B is a work in progress, Bigrenna and Robw56 you two are my inspiration you have both created beautiful works of aviation.

+1, two guys who have been very generous with their knowledge. I have learnt so much from the web that would have taken me years to acquire from my remote little island.

I'd think hard about 180HP. Best STOL fun I ever had was in a 180HP 170B.